The present invention concerns client-server computer networks and the use of such networks to access remote sensors having associated position determination sensors.
Networking technology has developed a large network of networks, referred to as the Internet, which interconnects millions of computers around the world. The Internet allows the transfer of data between any number of computer systems connected to the Internet using the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Computers responding to service requests from other computers, via the Internet, are commonly referred to as servers, and computers that initiate requests for service from a server are referred to as clients.
The Internet has become very popular in part due to the World Wide Web (WWW), which is a network of links to hypertext documents operating within the Internet. These hypertext documents are referred to as either Web documents, Web pages, or hypertext documents. Web documents are embedded with directly accessible connections or links to other documents which create a non-linear way of reading the document. The links are embedded in Web documents as a phrase of text or an image which can be selected and activated by a computer user. Information about the Web documents are controlled and provided by Web servers. At the user""s end, a Web client takes the user""s requests and passes them on to the Web server. A collection of related Web documents maintained by a single company or other entity is often referred to as a Web site.
The Web documents are written with a high level programming language referred to as the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). Commands of the HTML, popularly known as tags, provide a variety of functions including, but not limited to, defining special format and layout information in a Web document, embedding images and sound in a Web document, and embedding links to other Web documents.
In order to access, process, and display a Web document, a client uses a set of instructions, referred to as a browser. The browser typically includes a set of browser commands corresponding to the tags available in the HTML. Each browser command in turn points to a procedure of one or more instructions defining the command which, when executed, provide a functionality of the respective command. If the client requires service from the Web server, the browser uses the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to communicate with the server.
The browser compares each tag found embedded in a Web document with the set of browser commands. Once a match is found, the browser executes the procedure corresponding to the matched browser command in order to provide the functionality of the respective command.
Recently, some Web sites have begun offering users navigation-like aids. For example, some Web sites allow users to request the location of a tourist attraction or other location (e.g., a restaurant) and provide a map or a series of directions to the location in question. Often the Web site provider will charge a user fee for this service or instead may charge a fee to restaurant owners and others who wish to have the location of their business, etc. accessible in this manner. In this fashion, the Internet and the World Wide Web are becoming a useful tool for locating fixed sites. What is lacking, however, is a way for a user to locate a mobile remote object using such technology.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a computer implemented method of determining the location of a remote sensor. In operation, a user accesses a server using a client. The client provides an identification code which serves to uniquely identify a remote sensor. The remote sensor is capable of providing information related to its position. The server then interrogates the remote sensor which is identified based on the identification code. In response, the remote sensor transmits positioning data to the server where it is analyzed to derive the location of the remote sensor. The location so determined is transmitted from the server to the client and is displayed at the client so that the user can identify the location of the remote sensor.
In this embodiment, the client and the server may be connected to a computer network and the client may use a web browser to interrogate the server. In general, the web browser provides a graphical user interface for the user. The computer network may be the Internet, a local area network or another data communications network. Where the Internet is used, the server may provide a web page having means for the user to identify the remote sensor.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method of determining the location of a remote sensor wherein a position signal having positioning data and an identification code is transmitted from a remote sensor to a server. The server receives the position signal and analyzes the signal to generate information representing the location of the remote sensor. The server transmits this location information to a client where the location information is displayed, thereby allowing a user to identify the location of the remote sensor.
In this embodiment, the position signal transmitted by the remote sensor may include an emergency code. The signal may be transmitted using a modulated radio frequency carrier or other transmission media.
The remote sensor may be a SNAPSHOT GPS receiver capable of obtaining a position fix in a relatively short period of time. Other GPS receivers or positioning devices could also be used.
The user display may be a simple position report, e.g., latitude and longitude, or a graphical report which provides an indication of the remote sensor""s location superimposed on a map or other reference.